More than two years after its conception – and after much controversy and legal troubles – Lake Elsinore’s veterans memorial monument stands ready to serve.

Installation of the monument at The Diamond stadium concluded Tuesday. It will be unveiled Sunday.

The centerpiece of Lake Elsinore’s monument is a vertical slab engraved with the phrase “Honoring Our Brave Men and Women Who By Their Service Give Life To Our Most Precious Gift – Freedom.”

Also etched in the stone are images of a soaring eagle and a soldier facing empty combat boots propping up a rifle, on which rests a helmet.

The statue is mounted on a base of two slabs reading “Freedom is Never Free.”

Sun City Granite Inc. owner Joe Mehochko said the combined weight of the granite slabs is more than 3,600 pounds.

“We love doing these,” he said. “We love honoring the veterans.”

City officials selected the company to construct the monument in 2012. But the project was delayed over what would be etched on the stone.

After forming a committee to come up with a design, the City Council approved a design that included Christian crosses and Stars of David, despite opposition. Two residents successfully sued the city to block the design as a violation of the principle of separation of church and state.

Though a nonprofit legal group defended the city at no cost, the city wound up having to pay plaintiffs’ attorneys fees of $200,000, dwarfing the $60,000 budgeted for the project.

While the court case played out, the blank slabs shipped from India sat at Sun City Granite’s headquarters in Perris.

“(Veterans memorials) can take years by the time you get through all the committees, and a lot of times it takes years to get the funding together,” Mehochko said.

Mehochko, accompanied by installers Larry Young and Vincent Martinez, managed to slide the central slab into place after about three hours of maneuvers Tuesday morning.

On the previous day, his crew built the other section of the monument that greets visitors as they arrive at the stadium. That part consists of five black granite pedestals engraved with the emblems of each of the five U.S. military branches. The circle of pedestals is surrounded by more than 150 engraved pavers purchased by local residents to honor service members or their own service contributions. More will be placed there in the future.

The city contracted Avila Landscaping to put up a flagpole in the center of the pedestal display and install lights for both sections.

“It’s another day in paradise, just participating in something like this,” said Avila employee Enrique Garcia of Perris. “Not everyone can say they put up a monument like this honoring our service members. … Now when I get older and bring my grandchildren here, I can tell them I helped out with this.”